


Not Yours to Take

by SpiraWind



Category: The Walking Dead & Related Fandoms, The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Eventual Smut, F/M, Negan Being Negan (Walking Dead), Romance, Survival, Sweet Negan (Walking Dead), Zombie Apocalypse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-20
Updated: 2020-10-14
Packaged: 2021-03-05 03:27:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25397629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpiraWind/pseuds/SpiraWind
Summary: Louisa copes with knowing that life is on automatic when you're trying to survive. It wasn't until she met the leader of the Sanctuary before realizing that love could be a reality, not just one that exists in her dreams.
Relationships: Negan (Walking Dead)/Original Female Character(s), Original Female Character/Original Male Character
Kudos: 8





	1. Chapter One

“ _Benji_.”

Her voice came out in a whisper. This was it. It was only a matter of time before everything would catch up to them. As if worrying about the dead wasn’t their biggest concern; survival also meant avoiding other people.

She didn't know how he managed to look calm with the barrel of a gun pointed at the back of his skull. His hand gently squeezed her wrist, almost as a promise that everything was going to be alright.

She looked around at Jackie, Adrienne and Dennis. Jackie was quietly sobbing as she leaned into Adrienne. Dennis was staring hard at the ground, hoping that it would swallow him up.

“You folks sure look like you could use some help right about now,” the man with the gun pointed at Benji’s head spoke up. “Now, I’m sure good people like yourselves wouldn’t willingly steal something that doesn’t belong to you.”

Benji grunted as the man nudged him roughly, urging him to speak. “Of course not.”

“Sweetheart,” the man grinned, looking down at her. “Now what's your name?"

She bit her lip as she sqinted up at his face, the sun backlit behind his stout frame, "Louisa."

_"Louisa,"_ he stressed, "Didn’t your daddy ever tell you not to steal?” 

“We thought your truck was abandoned. In case you didn’t notice, it’s the end of the world,” she grimaced, as Benji’s hold on her wrist tightened.

“Abandoned?” the man tsked, flippantly waving his gun around. “You thought, a truck – in mint fucking condition, stock full of supplies… was abandoned?”

The surly group that surrounded them let out a collective laugh. There were five men and one woman, but even with a group this size, the threat was apparent. She couldn’t help but notice that they were well armed, an assortment of heavy artillery with a select few.

“Well to be honest, yes. You see…no one was at the truck,” Adrienne piped in.

Louisa bit her lip to prevent herself from smiling. Adrienne couldn’t help herself. Even with death staring them in the face, Adrienne still managed to interject her sarcasm.

Jackie shot her a look as if she had lost all reasoning.

“I can appreciate a sense of humor,” the man said, smiling again, but one that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “But this isn’t a laughing matter. That truck there is stock full of supplies for people we've sworn an oath to protect. People that rely on us. Imagine how it would look had we shown up without a vehicle and food to feed the good men, women and children in our community. Why, it would be disgraceful."

He dropped his gun briefly, inhaling slowly as if the very act pained him.

“I’ll tell you what. I’m going to forgive this indiscretion of yours. You’re good people – I can tell. Better yet, I’ll do you one better; I’d like to invite you to live in our community.”

“ _Really_? Why in the world would you want to do that?” Louisa asked, a sense of dread settling into the pit of her stomach.

This wasn’t a man they wanted to share a roof with.

“Absolutely honey. I’m feeling charitable today. It is the end of the world," he winked at her, a mockery of her previous statement. "And to show some good faith, I’m not going to pop off one of you right away. You see, that’s how we usually do things to show that we mean business, but I won’t do that as long as you follow a few ground rules.”

He took a pause, his tongue sucking the front of his upper teeth, "Three rules - all quite simple. One, do not speak from this moment on unless I ask you a question."

Louisa shot a look at Benji, trying to gauge what was running through his head. If there was a leader of their small group, it would have been Benji. He had earned her trust the moment they crossed paths and she hasn't looked back since.

“Two," the man continued, "you give us whatever supplies you have on you. We are a community that supports each other, after all. And three…you lead us back to your community.”

Benji’s eyes were closed, but she could tell that he was trying to slow his breathing.

“But...what if we don’t want to go?” Jackie squeaked, rubbing her eyes.

_For fucks sake, Jackie._

“What did I just fucking say?” the man turned; his gun aimed at Jackie. A gunshot rang out in tune with their screams. The man had shot the tree just above Jackie's head, bark exploding through the air. Jackie sobbed face down on the floor, her fingers digging into the earth below her.

“Damnit,” the man said, walking over to Jackie to lift her back up into a kneeling position, “I told you to not talk unless I ask you a question. I swear, my good nature gets the best of me."

Louisa tried to control her breathing as she looked at the faces around her. The world was spinning. Dennis had spilled what little contents of his stomach that remained on the leaf covered ground they knelt on.

“Fuck this heat,” the man grunted as he spat on the ground. “What is it, Dwight? Must be 100 degrees, you reckon?”

“Sounds about right,” a man with blonde hair and a burnt face responded. He sat lackadaisically on a nearby stump with a crossbow strewn upon his lap.

“It’s making us all a little crazy, you think? You see – I think we can be friends. All I need is a little cooperation, and we can be on our merry way."

The man wiped the beads of sweat off of his forehead with the sleeve of his denim jacket. He looked expectantly at Benji, “Well? What do you say?”

“Honestly, we don’t have much to offer. We’re just trying to make it by – the best as anyone else,” Benji replied, releasing the grip on Louisa's wrist to rub his hands through his hair. This was a habit of his – one she noticed that he did when he was struggling. A coping behavior.

“Of course you are. We’re just like you, you see,” the man smiled again. 

Louisa bit her lip - they were nothing like them. 

"What in the fuck is going on here?" came a voice from nearby.

A man with a thick mustache came barreling into the clearing, "Damnit, Richie! What in the hell did you get yourself stuck into now?"

The man barely surveyed their group, shaking his head in disappointment. "We were suppose to meet back at the outpost fifteen minutes ago."

He walked over to Richie and took the gun out of his grip, "And what did I say about wasting ammo? There's a horde no less than a mile away. Are you trying to get yourselves killed?"

Richie shrunk a bit under the scrutiny, "We would have been there, but we found _them_ trying to take our supplies."

The man held his finger up to signal silence, not bothering to glance back in their direction, "Are you telling me these kids managed to almost steal _our_ supplies right from under _your_ nose?"

"Simon, no one was at the truck -"

"No one was at the truck?" Simon scoffed. "Well, damn. That's your first problem isn't it? I told Negan it was too soon to let you lead a run."

The group was distracted as they watched the banter between Richie and Simon.

Louisa glanced around at her own group and saw that Jackie was curled back up against Adrienne and that Dennis was now slumped against the stump of a tree. She opened her mouth to ask Benji what they should do when she saw him slowly standing.

"What are you doing?" she hissed at him, failing to tug him back down next to her. "You're going to get yourself killed."

He silently shushed her with a wave of his hand as he cautiously approached the new man in the clearing.

"Simon?" 

The once distracted group now had their guns pointed at Benji. A particularly severe looking woman jutted forward, "Back on your knees!"

Benji held his hands up as an attempt to calm the group.

Simon turned around with a hint of frustration, but relaxed when he saw Benji's face.

"Ben?" Simon breathed, leaning forward, brows knitted together in confusion. "No..."

It was subtle, but Louisa saw the tension in his shoulders disappear, "It's me."

"Shit, kid. I didn't think I'd see you again," Simon smiled and pulled Benji into a hug. "We thought you were dead."

Benji laughed, returning the hug, "I thought I was too for a minute."

"God, Negan is in for a surprise," Simon said, clapping Benji on the shoulder. He turned to acknowledge the rest of the group for the first time. "These are your people?"

"Yeah," Benji smiled. "Like family."

Simon grinned back at the four of them, tucking his thumbs into the waistband of his jeans, "Alright, kids! Up we go - we're going to the Sanctuary."

"But, Simon - we were going to have them take us back to their -" Richie began, but was halted by Simon's finger once again.

"You have a community?" Simon asked, his voice lowered as he leaned towards Benji.

"No, it's just us," Benji frowned, gesturing back to the four of them.

Simon rolled the response around in his head, his eyes briefly touching Louisa's.

Louisa nodded, dusting the dirt off of her knees before checking on Jackie.

"Good enough for me," Simon shrugged. "You all can ride with me."

Benji grinned as he walked back to the group, "I don't know about you, but I was about to shit my pants for a minute."

"What was that about?" Adrienne hissed. "You know him?"

"Yeah, we were traveling together at the start of all of this mess. He's a good guy."

Lou frowned, as she tossed a bottle of water to Dennis, "I don't know, Benji. This feels off. We could have died."

"We always get out of these messes," Benji sighed, gently knocking Louisa on the shoulder. "You don't really think I'd let anything happen to you guys, do you?"

"Not everything is in your control, Ben," Jackie breathed, the color slowly returning to your face. "It was luck that you knew that guy."

"Luck or not, it worked in our favor."

"I don't think this is a good idea, Benji. We don't know what we're walking into. You heard that Richie guy, ' _I'm not going to pop off one of you right away.'_ That's not a promising start," Louisa said, biting on the inside of her cheek.

"We've been on the road for too long. We're almost out of food. We're almost in the dead of summer. Wouldn't it be nice to not have to run for awhile?"

The group was silent as they sat on Benji's words. He wasn't wrong. Things were getting harder. Shelter was come to hard by and the little water that they had left wasn't going to last much longer.

"You all ready?" Simon asked, walking over to them.

"Si - this _Sanctuary_? Is it pretty well protected?"

"Like a dream, Ben," Simon smiled widely. "All your dreams come true...for an apocalypse."

"What's the catch?" Adrienne asked. "Could you really accommodate four more people?"

"Without a doubt," Simon nodded. "People are a resource. Everyone has a role to play. You all will fit in just fine."

"See," Benji clapped his hands together, "Let's just check it out."

"Yeah," Simon agreed. "Take a look and see what you think. No doubt you'll find the accommodations to your liking."

"Lou?" Ben asked, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. "Give it a chance, will you?"

He was so optimistic. He always had been, even when the days felt like their last.

"I already told you," Louisa sighed. "I go where you go."

Ben beamed at her, "Well alright, then! Guys?"

The rest of the group nodded.

"Oh, before we go...I'm going to need you to hand over your weapons," Simon said, pursing his lips together. "Not that we don't trust you, just common procedure. A lot of people to protect. We can't have any of the Saviors thinking that we're giving preferential treatment."

The four looked at each other before apprehensively handing over their weapons.

Simon thanked them with each gun and knife handed over, "All set. Ready to see your uncle?"


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Louisa and company face the Sanctuary.

It was the smell that hit her at first. It was one that Louisa had grown accustom to as she watched the world fall around her. Decaying flesh was always a warning to move away and all she could do was frown as they drove straight on.

She toyed nervously with her brown locks, attempting to keep it at bay as the warm wind whipped it around her face. She untied the red scarf knotted from her waist to haphazardly secure her hair into a bun. A gift from her aunt – the only thing from her old world that she had left.

She, Adrienne, Jackie and Dennis sat in the back of a beat-up pickup truck. Benji could be heard laughing in the cab of the truck to whatever Simon must have said. Louisa wanted to feel happy for her friend. So few of them had the chance to be reunited with friends and family; it was even more rare to have ones who survived.

The smell of the walkers grew more distinct and the sounds of their groaning became clear. She threw a panicked glance at Dennis. He seemed just as alarmed and rapidly knocked on the back window.

“Everything okay back there?” Simon smiled, looking into the rearview mirror.

“Sounds like a hoard is close by,” Dennis glanced around nervously. “Should we try another route?”

“That’s no hoard,” Simon continued, smiling. “That’s top-notch security for the Sanctuary.”

Louisa let out an audible gasp as they pulled up to what looked like an old factory. It wasn’t the sheer size of the building or the number of people bustling about that surprised her; it was the large chain link fence of the courtyard.

“Shit,” Adrienne mumbled, hopping off of the truck. “This is a first.”

She wasn’t wrong. The four stood close as they observed numerous walkers attached to the fence. Some were impaled using steel pipes, while others were tied with bits of rope. Even more disturbing were the men in worn sweats marked with various letters on their backs, herding the walkers.

Benji walked around the back of the truck to join the others. This was the first time she had seen him frown since reuniting with Simon.

“What do you think?” Simon asked, slamming the truck door. “Impressive, isn’t it?”

“That’s one word for it,” Benji grimaced. “A little unorthodox.”

“Isn’t everything now?” Simon said, stepping back to admire the work. “It keeps others from getting too close, but it’s rare that anyone comes near. It’s out of the way enough that we’re secluded. Walkers tend to stay away.”

“Those men…” Louisa began. “They look tired. Afraid”

“Don’t you worry about that,” Simon said, patting her on the shoulder. “Those men earned their place. Couldn’t follow the rules. There’s a strict order around here that’s allowed us to grow to what we are now. Rules are simple. You do your part, and you won’t have to worry about winding up here. Come on now, let’s get you all settled.”

“That’s comforting,” Jackie mumbled, linking arms with Louisa. “Home sweet home.”

Simon led their group into the factory and into what looked like a functioning community. Men, women, and even the occasional child bustled about a large open area.

“This is the main factory floor,” Simon gestured at the large expanse. “It’s a shared living space for a lot of our residents here, as well as a space to get supplies.”

Louisa smiled down at a little girl that bumped into her. The child mumbled a quick ‘sorry’ before running off with a group of kids.

“People are a resource at the Sanctuary. Everyone has a role to play and in turn, the Saviors offer protection.”

“Saviors?” Benji asked, keeping in stride with Simon.

“Think of them as the protectors of this community. Negan came up with the name,” Simon laughed.

“It’s a bit sanctimonious, don’t you think?” Louisa frowned.

“Maybe, if this was a different time,” Simon shrugged, glancing back at her. “People need to feel safe. That’s what we do. You’ll get the gist of it. Straightforward system we got here, but there will be plenty of time for that later.”

“Where are we going?” Jackie asked, glancing up at the walkways above.

“To see Negan.”

“Is that your uncle?” Louisa asked, increasing her stride to match Benji’s.

“Yeah,” Benji smiled down at her. “He’s a good guy. A little crass – but you’ll love him.”

Simon led them up a series of metal stairs before opening the door to a guarded room. A blonde woman with a neck tattoo stepped aside, nodding at Simon.

The room must have been an office space at some point in time, but had been reconstructed as a bedroom.

“Damn,” Dennis muttered, stepping into the room.

The room would have been considered ornate even before the world ended. The afternoon light had shown brightly through three large windows, accented with dark curtains. The walls looked to be freshly painted, masking any signs that they were in a rundown factory. The sitting area itself was impressive with its plush couches, decorated shelves and glass table, but the large four poster bed adjacent to it stole the show.

“Go on, make yourselves comfortable,” Simon nodded towards the couches. “I’ll be back with the man himself in just a minute.”

“Your uncle must be a modest man,” Adrienne said, rolling her eyes.

“This is unreal,” Jackie muttered, running her hands across the spines of the books on the shelf.

“It’s strange for me, too,” Benji said, sitting down next to Louisa with a plop. “I’m not really sure what to expect. I know my uncle though. Like I said…he’s a good guy.”

“I wonder what roles they expect us to play. Jobs?” Dennis said, eyeing the mounted deer head on the wall.

“Who knows?” Louisa sighed, leaning her head on Benji’s shoulder. “I just want to sleep.”

Benji leaned down to kiss the top of her head. It wasn’t romantic, it never had been. Louisa found a peace with Benji that she hadn’t had with anyone else since all of this started. It was a companionship with a shared understanding that it would never be _more_ and they both seemed content with that.

Their respite was soon interrupted when a commotion was heard from outside of the room.

“What the fuck was so important you had to pull me away from –“ a booming voice rang out as the door quickly opened.

A tall man stood in the doorway, one hand resting on the doorframe and the other grasped around a baseball bat wrapped in what appeared to be barbed wire.

“Ben?” he said, disbelief written across his face. “I don’t fucking believe it.”

Benji stood up and embraced the man in a hug.

“Shit kid, how is this possible?” he smiled, leaning the bat against the wall. “Look – and not a damn scratch on you. I can’t believe you’re here.”

Louisa looked on at the warm reunion. With the two next to each other she was able to see the similarities in their features. He was tall, much like Benji. His frame was slender, yet he seemed strong. If anything, their eyes were different; while Benji’s eyes were a light blue, this man’s were a deep brown. But the smile…that was the same.

Despite it being summer, Negan donned a leather jacket that reminded Louisa of the rebellious boys her mom used to fawn over. But unlike her mother’s high school crushes, this man was something else. His dark hair was clean cut and slicked back. He had the confidence of a younger man, his age only showing with the salt and pepper of his beard.

Louisa quickly glanced away when Negan turned his direction towards the rest.

“I’m glad you’re here, Ben,” he grinned, leading Benji back to the couch. “These are your friends?”

“Family,” Benji corrected, returning the grin, taking his place back next to Louisa. “We’ve all been traveling together for past year. This is Dennis, Jackie, Adrienne and Lou.”

“Family – is that right? Well it’s a fucking pleasure to meet all of you. Welcome to the Sanctuary.”

Negan unzipped his jacket and tossed it on the bed.

“I don't mean to cut this short, but Ben and I have a lot of catching up to do. Simon, why don’t you take Ben’s friends here and show them where they will be staying,” Negan said. “Don’t worry about points for today; we can bring them up to speed in the morning. Consider it my welcome gift.”

Louisa raised her eyebrow at the mention of points.

“Sure, boss,” Simon nodded, opening the door. “Let’s assign you all a bed and then I’ll show you where you can get cleaned up.”

Benji looked concerned, “Maybe I should go with them, just until we’re all settled?”

“We’re fine,” Louisa gave him a reassuring smile. “Catch up with your uncle. We can meet up later.”

Negan cast Louisa a curious glance. She internally groaned at what he must have thought of them. It wasn’t until seeing the state of his bedroom did she notice the condition of their small group. She attempted to straighten her scarf that loosely maintained her windswept bun. All of them were covered in dirt and in tattered clothing and worn shoes.

She dismissed the thought as she followed Simon out of the room. They wound up in the living quarters of the open floor. They watched from afar as he chatted with an older woman with a clipboard.

“Ben wasn’t lying when he said that his uncle was crass,” Adrienne muttered quietly, taking in her surroundings.

“And what do you think he meant by points?” Jackie piped in, inspecting the expired licenses on the wall.

“Probably a monetary system,” Lou frowned. “I’m guessing it helps to keep things running smoothly.”

“Maybe. I was too busy admiring him to pay attention to what he was saying,” Dennis said with a wink.

“Of course you were,” Louisa laughed, giving him a playful shove. “He looks so much like Benji.”

“I guess,” Adrienne said. “I don’t know if I trust him though. What was up with that baseball bat? Did you see it? I could have sworn it was covered in red stains.”

Louisa shrugged as Simon made his way back to them.

“Good news – we have four spaces close to each other,” Simon said, handing each of them a numbered card. “You all will be in the last row, closest to the exit. Spots 73-76. I don’t care which ones you take; I’ll let you decide that amongst yourselves.”

“What’s the card for?” Louisa asked, flipping it over in her hand.

“ _That_ is to let others know that you are points free. It’s only good for today, so I suggest you make good use of it. Grab something to eat, get some clothes, take a shower – whatever you want. I’ll be back to check on you in the morning. We’ll go over the ground rules then. Until then, have fun.”

“Showers?” Dennis asked in disbelief. “Like actual running water?”

Simon laughed at his reaction, “Absolutely running water! It’s not hot by any means, but it gets the job done. You kids have fun.”

He walked away without a backwards glance.

“Why do I have a feeling this is too good to be true?” Jackie frowned, eyeing her card.

“He only gave us four beds,” Louisa said. “Where is Benji going to stay?”

“Who cares,” Dennis stated. “Didn’t you hear Simon? They have showers! This is the best news I’ve heard in a long time.

“Things are going to be different from now on,” Adrienne ignored Dennis, weaving her way to the last row of beds. “His uncle’s not going to let him sleep on a cot. Didn’t you see all of the rooms upstairs? I bet Benji will get one.”

Louisa frowned, “Well, it’s no use speculating. Let’s go take a look around.

As the four explored every corner of the open floor, they dubbed the area ‘the marketplace.’ Various tables were setup throughout the space with an abundance of items. Not only were there booths with food, clothes, tools and medicine, but also spaces for haircuts, carpentry and even a blacksmith. It was a snapshot of what the world had before.

“How did they manage to maintain something like this?” Jackie marveled, picking up a jar of strawberry jam. “There’s even a kitchen! Maybe that’s where you’ll work, Lou.”

Lou smiled sadly in the direction of the makeshift kitchen, “Maybe.” She didn’t want to think about it. It was just another ghost of her past life. “Alright, Dennis. Let’s get you your shower.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! It's a slow build, but we are getting there!


	3. Chapter 3

"You're kidding me, right?" Lou gaped at the woman with the clipboard. She was a stern woman. The kind that didn't tolerate nonsense of any sort. If Lou wasn't in shock, she would have shrunk back by the intimidation.

The woman shot Lou a blank expression, “All of it, Ms…," he paused a moment, only to glance down at the label on the bottle in Lou’s hands, “Draper.”

“This is my medication though. I _need_ it,” Lou frowned, clutching the antidepressant closer to her chest.

“It’s the end of the world,” the woman said, pushing a basket towards Lou. "We're all depressed."

Lou opened her mouth to retort when she felt Jackie’s hand clasp her arm.

“We’ll find more,” Jackie whispered as she unhooked Lou’s fingers from the pill bottle.

It took all of her self control to not roll her eyes in return as she regrettably dropped the bottle into the outstretched basket.

The woman cracked the faintest smile, “You, Ms. Draper. Much like the rest of the residents of the Sanctuary, can earn points to purchase any needed item, to include your medication.”

“While you’re at it, why don’t you take the clothes off of our backs too?” Lou muttered, glancing sadly at her abandoned belongings.

“Shut up,” Dennis hushed with a quick elbow to the side. “Don’t give her any ideas.”

Lou glared at him, but was interrupted by a familiar voice.

“Everything alright here?”

Simon strode into the makeshift living space, a smile plastered on his face.

“Fine, sir,” the woman replied. “Just bringing our newest residents up to speed."

“That’s real fine, Marge,” Simon said, his smile growing larger, if that was even possible. “I’ve got good news, kids! The man himself will be conducting your interviews. See where we can place you to get the ball rolling.”

“Interviews?” Adrienne asked. “Is that necessary?”

“Well…I suppose not,” Simon frowned. “But really he's doing this as a favor. If you prefer I can stick you in laundry...or walker duty, but we usually save that for our more unruly individuals."

He was smiling again, but one that didn’t reach his eyes. This seemed to be a pattern in the Sanctuary. Just an illusion or mask to make everyone believe that everything was okay.

“We’re grateful,” Dennis nodded. “Thank you.”

“No problem at all kids,” Simon said, his hand clutched over his heart. “We’re a family now. Isn’t that right?”

* * *

Lou glanced around the gothic adorned bedroom…office. Whatever it was, it was an eyesore considering the world around them was crumbling. Adornment to this scale seemed irresponsible, and she worried about the new reality her family had stepped into. She had been waiting for almost fifteen minutes, but punctuality didn’t seem like much of a concern for the man running the show. Lou was so caught up in her disbelief, that she didn’t see him leaning against the door.

"You a Whitman fan," came a rich drawl.

Lou gasped, dropping the collection of poems to the floor.

“I didn’t take you as one to spook so easily,” Negan laughed, reaching down to pick up the abandoned book. “Ben tells me you’re a pro at taking out walkers. Didn’t think little ol’ me would get such a reaction.”

Lou frowned, taking in the man in front of her. He had an arrogant air about him, the confidence exaggerated. He reminded her of a caricature an artist at an amusement park would draw.

“Not talkative? That’s okay. I’m pretty good at filling in an empty space,” he grinned, plopping down on one of the leather sofas.

“You know, silence isn’t always a bad thing,” Lou said quietly. “People are also ways so keen on filling an empty void. As if that’s suppose to provide comfort. Silence is what continues to keep people alive now. Big booming voices attract danger.”

“Well shit kid. If I didn’t know any better I would say you were insulting me.”

Lou frowned, slowly taking the sofa across from him, “Maybe that says more about you then it does about me. I’m speaking in generalizations, but if the shoe fits. Is this part of my interview?"

“Damn! Straight to the point! No Lou, I’m just conversating and getting to know you. Ben had a lot of great things to say about you. Hell - great things about your whole fucking crew. I figured a little small talk would do us some good.”

“ _Louisa_.”

“Excuse me?”

“My name is Louisa. You called me Lou."

"That's what Ben calls you," he smirked, plucking an invisible speck from his jeans.

"My friends call me Lou. You're not a friend."

“ _Fuck_ , you are a god damn firecracker!” Negan laughed, leaning forward on his elbows - mock admiration written on his face. "People don't usually talk to me this way around here."

Lou was quiet again as she sighed in discomfort. She didn't mean to be rude, but she lacked a filter as of late. She didn't see the point of a charade when any day could be her last.

Negan didn't do much to ease her discomfort. His whole presence was disconcerting. Not once did he attempt to break eye contact and all Lou could do was avert her gaze.

“Alright, _Louisa_ ,” he stressed. “Tell me your story…interests….dislikes.”

“I’m not sure where to start,” she frowned, fiddling with the scarf tied around her wrists.

“Start at the beginning. Are you a Virginia girl?”

Lou snorted, “No.”

“ _Oh_? Is that a bad thing.”

“I grew up in Virginia, yes, but I will never be a Virginia girl.”

“Sounds like an area of contention for you sweetheart,” a wolfish grin had spread across his face.

“It’s just not home,” she frowned, biting the inside of her cheek. It was becoming a nervous habit.

“So, where’s home?”

Lou glanced back into his unbreaking stare, “New York.”

“City girl then! What brought you there? School…work…maybe a guy?"

Lou was silent as she continued to chew on her cheek.

"Okay then. A girl?"

“School," she corrected.

“Okay then, we’re getting somewhere,” he clapped and rubbed his hands together. “What was your trade?”

“Culinary arts,” Lou said quietly, focusing her attention to the industrial windows.

“Well hot damn, we are in luck! Here at the Sanctuary we have a lot of mouths to feed and we are stocked with a fully functional kitchen. How does that sounds to you?”

“If that’s where you need me.”

He leaned back and rubbed the scruff of his chin, “Hell, I thought you would be happier than hogs in shit to get this job. Were you a shitty chef or what?”

“Student,” Lou corrected. “And no, I wasn’t."

“Then what’s the problem?” He asked, cocking an eyebrow at her.

Lou’s thoughts briefly danced back to a time from before. A warm kitchen. _Warm hands_. But she didn’t dwell on it too long, she couldn’t afford to.

“Kitchen duty is fine by me,” she swallowed, "But career aspirations are not really my focus right now. If you need me elsewhere, that's fine, too."

“Shit, if we have a legitimate chef then that's where you'll go," he grinned again, leaning forward once more. 

Lou forced a small smile to flicker across her features. It was in this moment she took a brief moment to study his features. While his posture was confident, exhaustion was set behind his eyes.

“You like what you see, kid?" he cocked an eyebrow, a brief swipe of his tongue dancing over the front of his teeth.

Lou withheld the urge to roll her eyes, but answered honestly, “You look like Benji.”

“You should have seen his dad. Mirror image. What’s the story with you two anyway? Are you….romantic?” He asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

“No,” Lou said quickly, shaking her head.

“No?”

“No,” she repeated more firmly. “Benji is great - he’s been my rock this past year. But romance? That’s not something that has ever crossed either of our minds.”

“You sure about that?” He frowned. “Ben seems pretty interested in you. Talked you up quite a bit last night.”

"I'm sure," Lou said, returning his frown. "I think you're misreading it."

“And what makes you think that?”

“I know our relationship. I know what we mean to each other. How we function. We’ve been in survival mode all of this time. Our whole group has. Just like everyone else, we have our story and now we’re here. Romance is the last thing on my mind."

Negan looked back at her, a curious expression on his face. For once he was silent.

Lou looked back at him, leaning back into the sofa only to fiddle with the scarf once again, “What about you? Are you with someone?

A look flashed across his face, as if there was a joke that only he was privy to, "Actually, yes. Happily married."

Lou nodded, glancing around the room once more. Negan’s room was mostly masculine, but she knew better than to assume a woman couldn’t occupy the space.

“You’re lucky, then,” Lou nodded. “To have not only companionship, but to be reunited with your nephew.”

His curious expression returned again, and he offered her a hand to stand up, "Let's introduce you to Barb. She's the lead in the kitchen. I'm sure you'll be friends in no time."

Lou apprehensively took his hand, but let out a gasp when he pulled her in close. He leaned down so that his mouth rested closely to her ear. "It was an absolute fucking pleasure talking to you, Louisa. I hope you'll be happy here."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a hot minute since I've posted. Life hit and I'm sure you all know how that goes. For those who continue reading - thank you! I hope you are enjoying it so far. It's a slow build, but we're getting there. Let me know your thoughts; I would love to hear the good, bad, and meh <3

**Author's Note:**

> I have been wanting to put this to writing for quite some time now, but have found it difficult to muster up the courage to dive in. Negan has always be an interesting character to me and I wanted to explore writing him in a way that touched on both his severe and softer sides. This will be a romantic story between the original female lead and Negan. It potentially could be a slow build up to their relationship, so please be patient with me. I welcome any and all feedback. Negan will be in the next chapter! Thank you for taking the time to read!


End file.
